Bubble film holding wand

ABSTRACT

A bubble film holding wand for use with a bottle containing bubble film solution is manufactured as an integral molded unit and includes a seal portion and a bubble film portion. The seal portion seals a bottle cap preventing leakage of the bubble film solution. Projections extending from the seal portion bear against the inside of the bottle cap retaining the seal in the bottle cap which is grasped by the user as a handle for the wand.

[ June 25, 1974 United States Patent 1191 Lebensfeld BUBBLE FILM HOLDINGWAND [76] Inventor: Steven Lebensfeld, 222 Thomas St., mExamirfep'Amonio Guida Newark NJ 07014 Assistant Examiner-J. Q. LeverAttorney, Agent, or FirmEdward F. Levy Mar. 19, 1973 [22] Filed:

[57] ABSTRACT A bubble film holding wand for use with a bottle con-App]. No.1 342,835

521 vs. 46/7, 215/7 151 lm. A63h 33/28 tammg bubble film E' manufacturedas 58 Field of Search...........1... 215/40 R, 43, DIG. 1; tegral andIncludes a and a bubble film portion. The seal portion seals a bottlecap preventing leakage of the bubble film solution Projec- 56]References Cited tions extending from the seal portion bear against theUNITED STATES PATENTS inside of the bottle cap retaining the seal in thebottle cap which is grasped by the user as a handle for the wand.

2,] 16,938 5/1938 White 215/40 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 932,9447/1963 Great Britain............................ 46/7 7 5 Draw F'guresPATENTEDJUNZEIW 3.818527 I I/I/I I/I/I/I .rma i ii 42 BUBBLE FILMHOLDING WAND The invention relates to bubble blowing devices and moreparticularly to a novel bubble blowing device having an integral bottleseal.

Conventional bubble film holding wands for use with bottles containingbubble film solution normally comprise a film holding portion in thefomi of a ring, and a stem terminating in a handle portion. Conventionalwands are usually loosely placed in a bottle of bubble film solution bythe manufacturer or are attached outside the bottle. In use, a childremoves a bottle cap from the bottle of bubble film solution, reachesinto the bottle, removes the wand which retains an amount of bubble filmsolution and blows air at the wand causing bubbles to form. The bottlecap, having been removed from the bottle in order to use theconventional wand can easily be misplaced, as can the wand itself. Thebubble film solution bottle usually provided with the conventional wandhas a generally small neck opening. The conventional wand isproportioned shorter than the height of the bottle so as to fit withinthe bubble film solution bottle and it is difficult for the child to dipthe conventional wand into the bubble film solution when the level ofthe bubble film solution in the bottle is low. In addition, because theentire conventional wand fits within the bubble film solution bottle,the handle portion often becomes coated with bubble film solution makingit slippery and difficult to hold, and the childs fingers and handsbecome coated with bubble film solution.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bubble filmholding wand, for use with a bottle containing bubble film solution,which is attached to a bottle cap, the cap serving as a handle for thewand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bubble film holding wandhaving a handle portion which remains dry when the wand is in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bubble film holding wandhaving an integral seal portion thus eliminating the need for a separateseal in the bottle cap used with the wand.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bubble filmholding wand having integral projections for prevention of rotation ofthe wand with respect to a bottle cap.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a bubble film holdingwand having a bubble film holding portion and an integral seal portion.The seal portion is sized to fit within a bottle cap of a bottlecontaining bubble film solution sealing the bottle and cap againstleakage of the bubble film solution and configured so that the wandaccording to the invention projects into the bottle. in a preferredembodiment the seal portion incorporates radial projections which bearagainst the inside of the bottle cap and prevent rotation of the sealportion and consequently the wand. with respect to the bottle cap. Thefilm holding portion has a plurality of closely spaced projections whichdefine grooves which retain bubble film solution when the device is inoperation. In use the wand according to the invention is held bygrasping the outside of the bottle cap. This surface does not come incontact with the bubble film solution and remains dry.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following specification when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a bubble film holding wand made inaccordance with the present invention, the wand being shown mounted on abottle cap which is attached to a bottle containing bubble filmsolution, the cap and bottle being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1 andshowing the seal portion of the wand in place in the bottle cap;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an elevation showing the seal portion of the wand insertedover the mouth of a bottle, the latter being broken away and shown insection; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective exploded view of the wand and the bottle cap inwhich it is mounted.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a bubblefilm holding wand made in accordance with the present invention. Thewand 10 is shown inserted in a bottle 12 which in use would containbubble film liquid 14. The bottle 12 may be made of glass, plastic orother suitable material and is closed off by a bottle cap 16.

The bottle cap 16 is made of metal, and has a top wall 18 and acircumferential wall 20, the latter having an intemally-threaded portion22 which fits complementary external threading 24 on the neck of thebottle 12. At the top of the circumferential wall 20, immediately abovethe threaded portion 22, is an annular row of serrations 26 whichprovide a finger grip for turning the bottle cap 16. These serrations 26are indented in the metal cap and also project from the interior surfacethereof to aid in mounting the wand 10, in a manner to be presentlydescribed.

The bubble film holding wand 10 is manufactured as an integral unit, andis preferably molded from a plastic material such as polyethylene. Asshown in FIG. 5, the wand 10 comprises a base or seal portion 28 and aring portion 30 connected by an elongated stem or rod 32. The sealportion 28 is in the form of a circular disc 34 having a flat bottomsurface 36. As shown in FIG. 3, the disc 34 has a central portion 38 ofuniform thickness and an outer peripheral portion 40 of considerablylesser thickness joined thereto by a tapered annular shoulder 42. Inuse, when bottle cap 16 is threaded onto bottle 12, as shown in FIG. 1,the seal portion 28 bears against the top of bottle 12 and provides anair-tight and liquid-tight seal over the mouth of the bottle. Theincorporation of the seal portion 28 into the structure of the wandeliminates the need for a separate conventional cap seal, thus reducingthe overall product cost.

A plurality of locking teeth 44, 46 and 48 project radially from thethin outer peripheral portion of disc 34, as shown in FIG. 2. Teeth 46are narrow and have parallel side edges. Teeth 44 are wedge-shaped,having a radially extending edge 50 and an edge 52 forming an acuteangle therewith and defining a pointed end 54. Teeth 48 are alsowedge-shaped, but in the reverse direction, having a radially extendingedge 56 and an inclined edge 58 extending at an acute angle thereto anddefining a pointed end 60. The wedge-shaped teeth 44 and 48 are arrangedalternately around the circumference of the disc 34 with a tooth 46disposed between each pair of teeth 44 and 48. When the wand 10 ismounted on the bottle cap 16, in the manner to be presently described,the locking teeth 44, 46 and 48 are flexed sufficiently so that theypass the inwardly projecting threading 22 of the cap and lodge in therow of serrations 26 beyond the threading. The pointed ends of the teethwedge in between the serrations 26, as shown in FIG. 2, and lock thesealing disc 34 in mounted position. The wedge-shaped teeth 44 and 48are particularly effective in restraining the disc 34 from rotating ineither direction relative to the bottle cap 16.

The ring portion 30 of the wand comprises an annular bubble film holdingmember 62 in the form of a plastic ring formed integrally with theelongated stem 32. The ring 62 has a central circular aperture 64 and arow of closely-spaced projections 66, separated by respective grooves68, on both surfaces of said ring 62. The grooves 68 serve as reservoirsto retain a supply of the bubble film solution 14 therein when the wandis in use. If desired, two rows of projections and grooves may be formedon each face of the ring 62 in order to enable the wand to retain anincreased supply of bubble-forming solution.

In mounting the bubble film holding wand on the bottle cap 16, the disc34 of the wand may simply be brought to the mouth of the cap 16 in theposition shown in FIG. 5, and pressed manually inwardly of the cap untilthe flat outer surface 36 of the disc 34 engages the inner surface ofthe cap top wall 18, as shown in FIG. 3. When the disc is pressedinwardly, the teeth 44, 46 and 48 flex and snap past the internalthreading 22 of the cap, lodging between the serrations 26 in the mannerpreviously indicated. The cap threading 22 thus overlies the ends of theteeth 44, 46 and 48, locking the disc34 from movement out of the cap,and the serrations 26 prevent the disc from rotating within the cap.

In commercial manufacture, the wand is mounted on the bottle cap duringassembly of the unit. In assembling the completed item for distribution,the bottle 12 is filled with a charge of bubble film solution 14 and thewand 10 is inserted inthe bottle in such a manner that the disc 34 isseated upon the bottle mouth as shown in FIG. 4. The wand may be formedwith a plurality of self-centering splines 70 to aid in accuratelycentering the disc 34 on the bottle mouth. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,these splines 70 are molded integrally with the stem 32 and the disc 34,and extend downwardly and angularly from the tapered annular shoulder 42to the stem 32. The splines 70 are sized and arranged to en-. gage theedge of the bottle mouth as the wand is inserted therein, and guide thedisc 34 accurately to the position shown in FIG. 4 in which the disc iscentered over the bottle mouth and all of the teeth 44, 46 and 48project a short distance beyond the circumference of the bottle mouth.

The bottle cap 16 is now placed over the bottle mouth and screwedtightly down on the neck of the bottle. As the bottle cap is turned andlowered on the bottle neck, it moves downwardly relative to the disc 34seated over the bottle mouth, and the cap threading 22 moves past theprojecting teeth 44, 46 and 48. In the final position of the screwed-oncap 16, the teeth are located between the serrations 26 of the cap, andthe disc 34 has been automatically locked in mounted position within thecap 16.

Since the ring portion 30 and stem portion 32 of the wand 10 are madeintegral with the bottle cap liner or seal 28, when the assembly is notin use and the cap 16 is secured to the neck of the bottle 12, as shownin FIG. 1, the ring 62 is located centrally within the lower interior ofthe bottle 12 and is immersed in the bubble forming solution 14. In useof the assembly to blow bubbles, the cap is unscrewed from the bottleand the wand 10 withdrawn, using the cap as a handle. When the wand iswithdrawn, a supply of the bubble film solution 14 is retained in thegrooves 68 of ring 62 and forms a continuous film across the ringaperture 64 in the wellknown manner of bubble wands. When the user blowsthrough the aperture 64, the film forms one or more bubbles.

When the wand 10 is replaced with the bottle 12 and the cap 16 screwedtightly thereon, the wand is conveniently stored in a position whereinthe ring 62 is immersed in the bubble solution and available forimmediate use at any time. This provides an advantage over conventionalbubble wands which are made separate from the bottle cap and are usuallystored outside the bottle and are thus easily lost. In addition, in useof conventional assemblies, the separate bottle cap is removed from thebottle when the wand is dipped, so that the cap is also inclined to belost. Such loss is prevented with the present assembly, since the bottlecap serves as the wand handle during use.

The disc 34 also serves the additional function of a sealing liner forthe bottle cap 16, engaging the mouth of the bottle when the cap isscrewed tightly on the bottle neck, and preventing leakage of the bubblefilm solution from the bottle.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed herein, it is obvious that numerous omissions, changes andadditions may be made in such embodiment without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A bubble film holding wand for use with a bottle containing bubblefilm solution and having a bottle cap removably attached to the neckthereof, said wand comprising a bottle cap seal portion, a stem portionjoined at one end to said seal portion and projecting perpendicularlyfrom the center thereof, and a film holding portion joined to the otherend of said stem portion and spaced from said seal portion, said sealportion being sized to be inserted and retained in mounted positionwithin said bottle cap, said seal portion in said mounted position beingdisposed between the mouth of the bottle and said bottle cap to seal thebottle against leakage of the bubble film solution therein when said capis attached to the bottle, with said stem and said film holding portionextending into the interior of said bottle, said seal portions having aplurality of projecting teeth disposed to bear against the interior ofsaid bottle cap and retain said wand within said cap and preventrotation of said wand relative to said cap, said bottle cap havinginternal screw threading and a row of serrations between said screwthreading and the top wall of said cap, said teeth projecting radiallyfrom said seal portion and positioned to extend between said serrationsin the mounted position of said seal portion, with said screw threadingoverlying said teeth.

2. A bubble film holding wand according to claim 1 in which said sealportion comprises a circular disc having a flat surface abutting theinner surface of the top 6. A bubble film holding wand according toclaim 1 in which said wand is made of a moldable plastic material.

7. A bubble film holding wand according to claim 2 in which at leastsome of said teeth are tapered to form pointed end portions, each ofsaid tapered teeth having a pair of sides forming an acute angle, one ofsaid sides extending radially along a line through the center of saiddisc.

1. A bubble film holding wand for use with a bottle containing bubblefilm solution and having a bottle cap removably attached to the neckthereof, said wand comprising a bottle cap seal portion, a stem portionjoined at one end to said seal portion and projecting perpendicularlyfrom the center thereof, and a film holding portion joined to the otherend of said stem portion and spaced from said seal portion, said sealportion being sized to be inserted and retained in mounted positionwithin said bottle cap, said seal portion in said mounted position beingdisposed between the mouth of the bottle and said bottle cap to seal thebottle against leakage of the bubble film solution therein when said capis attached to the bottle, with said stem and said film holding portionextending into the interior of said bottle, said seal portions having aplurality of projecting teeth disposed to bear against the interior ofsaid bottle cap and retain said wand within said cap and preventrotation of said wand relative to said cap, said bottle cap havinginternal screw threading and a row of serrations between said screwthreading and the top wall of said cap, said teeth projecting radiallyfrom said seal portion and positioned to extend between said serrationsin the mounted position of said seal portion, with said screw threadingoverlying said teeth.
 2. A bubble film holding wand according to claim 1in which said seal portion comprises a circular disc having a flatsurface abutting the inner surface of the top wall of said cap in themounted position of said seal portion.
 3. A bubble film holding wandaccording to claim 2 in which at least some of said teeth have parallelsides and extend radially outward from said disc.
 4. A bubble filmholding wand according to claim 2 in which at least some of said teethare tapered to form pointed end portions.
 5. A bubble film holding wandaccording to claim 1 in which said seal portion, said rod portion andsaid film holding portion form an integral molded unit.
 6. A bubble filmholding wand according to claim 1 in which said wand is made of amoldable plastic material.
 7. A bubble film holding wand according toclaim 2 in which at least some of said teeth are tapered to form pointedend portions, each of said tapered teeth having a pair of sides formingan acute angle, one of said sides extending radially along a linethrough the center of said disc.